I used to live at the corner of Robson Street and Howe Street in downtown Vancouver. It was a splendid rooftop, corner suite flat facing Northwest with a view overlooking the Vancouver Art Gallery, itself a wonderful piece of architecture. Well, it was a splendid flat until we started having offspring — who now outnumber Denise and I in a household that is now a helpless facsimile of zone defence gone mad — so we eventually moved to the once über hippie neighbourhood of Kitsilano. Below the flat was a rather large bookstore. Denise and I treated it like a library. Instead of taking out the books as you would in a library we’d bring our own bookmarks, hide the books we were reading, fetch them when we returned while continuing on to sip extra hot lattes in superbly comfortable beanbag chairs. It was a blissful, carefree life until the goats took over our ‘dual income no kids‘ rodeo. Anyway, in this bookstore (ahem, library) I witnessed a remarkable leadership action occur on more than one occasion. Bookstore management (aka. leadership) actually asked the various staff members working in the shop for their opinion. Amazing, isn’t it? The manager would huddle together with the employees and begin a short discussion with them about issues like book displays or signage or even the location of chairs and bean bags. The manager was in fact ‘connecting‘ with his or her team to solicit feedback and ideas on how best to operate the bookstore. (connecting, of course, is the first stage in the Flat Army ‘Collaborative Leader Action Model’) Amazing, isn’t it? How do you think the team felt? Were they inclined to be more engaged, stay the same or would they become disengaged? The simple act of connecting first with your team to surface ideas, options and alternate views to your own (as the leader) is such a simple behaviour to establish at an organization — as an enterprise-wide norm — it shocks me that it’s still not done more pervasively today. How hard is it to connect first and consider options before creating the end result? Gallup finds global employee engagement in 2013 sits at a paltry 13%. AON Hewitt report 40% of employees are actively or passively disengaged. BlessingWhite believes only 40% of global employees are actually engaged. Whichever organization that is studying employee engagement you fancy, the data doesn’t lie. Employees are not at a level of engagement that is conducive to feeling good about their place of work and thus organizations are left with productivity losses, attrition/absence issues as well as stagnating business growth. Let’s not get into whether or not the employee is recommending his or her friends to utilize said service or to even contemplate working at the firm. My theory? The simple act (the first step) is to ‘connect’ with your team members and ask them to be involved in the operation of your team, your business and your organization. The employees may not be involved in the final decision, but at least they are involved, at least you are connecting with them … and to me, that is the very essence of being ‘engaged’. Dan's Related Posts:That Decision Is Above My Pay-GradeEmployee Engagement is Still Poor but it Does Drive Bottom Line ResultsThe Social C-SuiteWhat is Engagement Anyway?The Harmonic Leader: Stage 5 of 5 in the Leadership Tonic Scale

Last month we had a great show at Adobe Learning Summit 2014 in Bellagio, Las Vegas where Adobe community experts, industry luminaries, experienced learning professionals, and Captivate engineering team got together and talked about the latest and upcoming eLearning technologies. Missed attending it? We recorded some of the sessions for you.

Looking to create and/or deploy courses as HTML5 or Apps in your organization? We have a bunch of FREE resources to help you get started in HTML5, Javascript, Android App Basics and Swift (iOS) Basics. These courses are designed for the beginner. No prior coding or programming experience required. Learn HTML Basics Learn Javascript Basics Learn Android Basics Learn […]

Here’s an old story about three different stonemasons from a bygone era. We’ll call them Mario, Paladino and Antonio. They each are working on the construction of a new building. Technically they’re on the same team, but it’s their attitudes that I’m interested in. When we ask Mario what he’s working on, he frowns and says with a hint of sarcasm: "My job is to take these bloody awful stones, chip them down so they fit into the open slots on that wall over there, and hope like Hell they don’t fall on someone. I’m just doing what my boss tells me to." Paladino chimes in rather bluntly: "I’m a stonemason. I’m building that wall over there." But Antonio is a wee bit different. He takes a sip of water from his canteen, wipes his lips and then a smile begins to develop from ear to ear across  his five o’clock shadow face. With vigor and passion, Antonio asserts: "I am part of a team that is building a fantastic place of worship for the masses to enjoy for all eternity. We know this Cathedral will become a symbol of community and as each stone gets laid, we get closer to our goal of  bringing people together." And it begs the questions, which type of stonemason are you? Dan's Related Posts:Five Essential Tips to Effectively Work from HomeFlexible Working WorksDear Mr. Pontefract - I Need a Connected Learning PlatformFriday Fun: The Difference b/t Apple & Microsoft Is …The Link Between Leadership, Learning & Organizational Performance

Check out this new course on Adobe Captivate Drag and Drop Interactions with me on Lynda.com. This course dives into the drag-and-drop feature of Adobe Captivate 8, focusing on creating interactive elements that are interesting and fun. You will learn how to build your first interaction, turn interactions into questions and practice activities, apply effects, […]

Can humanism replace capitalism? Can capitalism be fought back by a new sense of purpose? No. Not in my lifetime. It’s sad. Really, it is. Can humanism — the concept of value, meaning and purpose — be interwoven in parallel with capitalism? That *may* have a fighting chance. We first need to revisit the terms business, company, corporation and capitalism. The word capitalism — the concept of accumulating capital — arrived on the scene in 1854, but of course there has always been the vortex of capitalism. Whether the serfs, aristocrats, feudal land owners, or early mercantiles/merchants … the concept of capitalism has a solid 500+ year history. But when did we lose the plot? When did capitalism replace the business, company or corporation? When did capitalism become society’s new purpose? (at least the purpose of those pulling the strings) A business — the original act of being busy — is perhaps a clue. Or perhaps the word company lends us a hand in our quest. After all, a company is to be in ‘company’ with others, no? And what of the corporation? What say you, a word with negative connotations in this the 21st century of uncertainty? From the Latin ‘corporationem‘ it truly means "persons united in a body for some purpose". So let’s recap. To be in business is to keep busy in good company with persons united in a body for some purpose. In my humble estimation, capitalism has replaced the business, the company and the corporation. And we’ve lost our purpose. Our purpose has ever so swiftly shifted to the accumulation of share; the holder of share, you might say. We ought to — we must — harken back to a time of the business, the company and the corporation as they are defined for us today and relinquish the magnetic draw that is capitalism and by extension shareholder value. We are all to blame though. Partially at least. Capitalism is the ugly, older step-sister to the triplets known as materialism, consumerism and individualism. We feed the beast by our unadulterated need for stuff. In 1933, America instituted the "New Deal", a series of economic programs to assist the working class get back on its feet after the Great Depression. It revolved around what was referred to as the "3 Rs": Relief, Recovery, and Reform. That is Relief for the unemployed and poor; Recovery of the economy to normal levels; and Reform of the financial system to prevent a repeat depression. We either need a new New Deal — a new definition for a new world order — or workers are going to begin thinking they are in a "Raw Deal". John Maynard Keynes wrote in 1930: "Now it is true that the needs of human beings may seem to be insatiable. But they fall into two classes — those needs which are absolute in the sense that we feel them whatever the situation of our fellow human beings may be, and those which are relative in the sense that we feel them only if their satisfaction lifts us above, makes us feel superior to, our fellows." Truer words could not have been written today in 2014. We suffer in part because we have no idea what workplace or financial happiness ought to look like. Shareholder value has become the new normal. Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever — one of the world’s leading suppliers of consumer goods be it foods, home care or personal care — believes the time has come for corporate sanity. In an interview with The Guardian newspaper, Polman stated: "The very essence of capitalism is under threat as business is now seen as a personal wealth accumulator. We have to bring this world back to sanity and put the greater good ahead of self-interest. We need to fight very hard to create an environment out there that is more long term focussed and move away from short termism." (The Guardian, Jo Confino, Thursday 21 June 2012) Paul is spot on. You may have asked the question "what is the purpose of these corporations from society’s point of view?" The bigger question is "what will be the new purpose of these corporations?" Dan's Related Posts:Flat Army Book Excerpt: Organizational Learned HelplessnessCoaching Should Be An Expectation Of All Connected LeadersThe TED of all Leadership Management Conferences - A Review of the Drucker Forum…Who Am I? Who I Am.Instead of Inbox Zero, How About Outbox Zero

Dylan Benson, whose wife Robyn is now on life-support, said he intends to name their son Iver Cohen Benson. (Dylan Benson/YouCaring.com) Dear Dylan (aka Mister Benson), You are the definition of class. To experience what you have — finding your wife prone, unconscious in the bathroom due to an irreparable cerebral hemorrhage — is heartbreaking. It is, perhaps, without words. But you are the definition of class. Recently married is one thing, but to know your wife is carrying your first child — a son, Iver — might be argued as cruelty against humanity. Cruelty against you, your wife and your son, of course. But due to the work of astute healthcare professionals and technology innovation — not to mention the unending love your wife displays for Iver — your son incubates in relative safety awaiting his first breath. Who could imagine such a scenario? But you are the definition of class. First, you didn’t cower or hide behind such unimaginable pain. No, you started a blog. A blog. And with your first post — The Day After My Life Changed — you demonstrated humility, honesty and fear with deftness … with courage. Second, you continued to write. From the update on your wife’s options, to the taxi driver story about lasagna, to the update about a 900 gram viewing of Iver … your resiliency is unteachable, your empathy innate. Third, you not only write on your blog — and continue to write, openly and with veracity — you agreed to mainstream media interviews through print, radio and television. The CBC interview is one of the most demonstrable displays of humanity I have ever witnessed. And lastly, by being public and through such unwavering sincerity, you agreed to establish the Baby Iver Fund to benefit your son into the future. That one act moves things to a whole other level of selflessness, such that you are able to provide for Iver in the years to come. Stunning. You are the definition of class. I too have a rock and am lucky to have met her. Robyn will be with you and with Iver forever. I know you will continue to be that rock for Iver going forward. He is lucky to have such a strong mother and obviously a compassionate, caring and loving father. Never forget Mister Benson — and as hard as things may seem now and into the near future — you are the definition of class. We’re not here to see through each other; we’re here to see each other through. Sincerely, Dan PS. I donated. If you’re not Dylan and are reading this, please consider donating as well. Dan's Related Posts:Dear Mr. Pontefract - I Need a Connected Learning PlatformOur Three Young Children Blog … Here’s WhyThe Iconic Leader: Stage 4 of 5 in the Leadership Tonic ScaleIn 2014, I Will …You Will Never Be Promoted

Adobe Captivate is a powerful eLearning authoring tool which allows you to create several types of engaging and interactive eLearning courses. To make the most of this tool, here are the top 5 productivity tips I’ve followed over the years. Go ahead and use them if you like. 1. Take my advice — Always begin […]

To those that are beginning to utilize LinkedIn like Facebook, my apologies in advance, but I’ve been removing you from my network list. To me, LinkedIn is a professional network / contact management arena and if you are using it to supply graphics of "what word do you see first" or "enter your email in the comment box and your direct contact list will grow by 100x", well … you’ve lost the plot on the importance of what a business network is all about. Harsh? Perhaps. But it’s also what I might refer to as a ‘digital discipline’ strategy of mine. Evidence below. PS. If you’re going to post a graphic (or get sucked into the idiotic hope of a larger email network by playing along) you might want to try a function known as ‘spell check’. Dan's Related Posts:My 1800+ LinkedIn Network Graphically MappedI Unfriended You On Facebook. Are We Still Friends?LinkedIn Skills - Useful or Useless?Favourite Posts of 2013 That I Wrote & PublishedDid I Just Spam My Entire LinkedIn Network?

In case you missed it, the Adobe & ASCD eSeminar on STEM and eLearning content creation is now available on demand. Here’s a brief description of the event. In this webinar, join senior Adobe eLearning evangelist, Dr. Allen Partridge, as he walks you through some of the essentials that can help you quickly create eLearning […]